The Outwords Archive

05/08/2026

May is for Mother’s Day AND AAPI Heritage Month. LoAn Nguyễn is a Vietnamese parent ally who embodies the acceptance and love that we wish for all q***r and trans children. Thank you to LoAn and all the supportive parents of LGBTQ+ folks across the globe.

05/06/2026

With Mother’s Day coming up this weekend, we’re loving on all the supportive mamas who celebrate their kids just the way they are! Pictured: Mike Szymanski and his mother Rose Szymanski at the 1992 March on Washington for Le***an, Gay, and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation, June 29, 1992. Mike’s blue shirt reads, “My mother is straight… but she don’t hate.” Rose’s pink shirt reads, “My son is bi… I don’t ask why.” Photo Credit: activist Lynn Ballen. Mike shares, “This photo is often mis-appropriated on the internet as someone’s else’s uncle or grandmother. It made the cover of the Bisexual Resource Guide in 2001 and in the collection of iconic LGBT+ photos in ‘We Are Everywhere: The History of Q***r Liberation.’” Photo courtesy of Mike Szymanski.

04/30/2026

As draws to a close, we want to give a special shout out to our volunteers Ariana and Emmy! Nonprofits like OUTWORDS are so thankful to the who help us thrive!

04/28/2026

John and James Brown-Huggins in Richwood, WV are in the running for Cutest Couple. Enjoy this entertaining tale of dating apps, mutual friends, and fated love.

***rRomance ***rLove

04/23/2026

We were thrilled to meet with T. Felder at The Hollywood Times regarding our change in leadership, our upcoming 10-year anniversary, and the significance of OUTWORDS in this moment. Have a read:

As OUTWORDS approaches its 10-year anniversary, founder Mason Funk passes leadership to Beth Shipp, highlighting the importance of preserving LGBTQ+ elder stories in today’s political climate.

04/22/2026

“My higher power, my belief in God, is like the wisdom of nature. It’s been here longer than anything else. The moon knows when to come up. The sun knows when to go down. Things know when to grow, things know when to die.”

Happy Earth Day! We’re enjoying reflecting on these words from Latine activist Richard Haggen. As a child, Richard escaped into the worlds of comic books and birding. Today, he continues to hold a strong belief in the wisdom of nature, and has a spiritual practice rooted in ancestral healing traditions passed down from his great-grandfather, Felipe, a curandero. Richard is currently at work on a book about four generations of his family history.

Pictured: Richard smiles outside of a camping tent, in Tsavo National Park just after a baboon stole a chocolate bar out of his tent. Kenya, Africa, 1987. Photo courtesy of Richard Haggen.

04/21/2026

This ***anVisibilityWeek, allow Arden Eversmeyer, founder of the Old Le***ans Oral History Project, to introduce you to OLOC (Old Le***ans Organizing for Change), a multigenerational organization that has been connecting le***an elders for 30 years.
***anElders ***anVisibility ***anPride

04/17/2026

A huge congrats to the GOAT Shannon Minter, interviewee and legal director, who was named one of Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2026! As Ricardo Martinez writes in his profile of Shannon, “There are advocates who chase the spotlight, and those who simply do the work. Shannon Minter, one of the most consequential civil rights attorneys of our generation, is unambiguously the latter.” We couldn’t agree more. Read the whole profile at https://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people/2026/shannon-minter/ or our 🔗, and join us in celebrating Shannon!!!
***rHistory

04/14/2026

“Once I was out, I was out and I was never going back...” Let author, critic, and HIV rights educator Chuck Forester inspire you with this self-assured tale of romantic beginnings.

04/10/2026

OUTWORDS is looking for a video editing intern! Do you want to spend your summer contributing to fantastic videos like the ones featured on this account? Interested in gaining video production skills and working with LGBTQ+ content? If so, apply today! Applications will be accepted through May 1. You can apply at https://www.lacountyarts.org/outwords-archive-inc-video-editing-intern

This internship is made possible by LA County Arts & Culture. Only residents and students of LA County are eligible for this internship, but there are additional Editorial/Production Internship opportunities for those who live elsewhere, which can be found at theoutwordsarchive.org/learn-with-outwords/ or our 🔗

04/08/2026

Two-Spirit caretaker Olivia DeSersa has a message for LGBTQ+ youth. Let her insight be a reminder that one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself is to be and love yourself.